The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-04-13
HON. D. WYATT AIKEN.
HIS DEATH AT coKEsBERY LAST WEEK.
Notable Events In His Life...DiStim-
gushing Traits In His Character
---COnScf rnfiOus as q Private
Citizen-Upright and Honorable rs
n Public Servant.

| by any man VINO mas ever nVeQ or uleQ III
| this county. About two years ago he fell OH
the icy pavements IN the city Of Washington
and received serious injuries. 1t was suppos.
ed at first that he would recover, but he grew
worse all the time until he was compelled to
take his bed some eighteen or twenty months
During all this time he had the best Of at
| tention. The skill of men learned in the
science of medicine, together with the con-
stant and unceasing care Of devoted family,
| to which we're added his own earnest effort to
obey the laws Of health, proved unavailing.
| His symptoms grew more alarming, and for
recovery. Colonel Aiken realizing his s!tua-
tion talk ed freely on NIL matters pertaining 10
himself, his estate, and his family. He made
his WILL and gave full and explicit directions
about many matters, and after making prepa-
ration to appear Mt the great judgemnt bar to
which we are all Fastening. anxiously looked
forward to the time when he would receive
the summons which would free him from his
In the hope that his son might be saved
from premature grave. the great Napoleon
directed that after death, his stomach should
he examined by the doctors with n view to
learning certainly the disease of which he
was dying. III like manner, for the benefit
of medical science, Colonel Aiken directed
his body. 1t was known that large tumor
had formed on the internal parts, but OF its
nature nothing was known certainly. 1t
was only known that his nervous or neural
gic sufferingS were great:
Accordingly when death occurred. his ply
sicIan DR.. 6. H. Waddell, assisted by DR.. Lea,
and DIR. Conner, proceeded to carry out his
instructions as to the past mortem examina;
ton. IT was then made plain that he had
been suffering from what the doctors call
necrosis Of the 6one.-(cancer or q destroying
of the bone) q local disease, which, when ap:
part part may not be cut off, is incurabe. So
far, medical science has not been able to cure
the disease or to stay It's ravages, except by
amputation Of the affected part. This disease
is ordinarily caused from some mechanical
action on the affected part at time when
the constitution Of the patient Is In that stage
of unhealth which encourages Its develop,
ment. There can be little doubt that the fall
on the streets of Washington, together with
Colonel Aiken's constitutional impairment
at the time combined to produce tho disease
for which no cure has yet been discovered.
The autopsy proved that Colonel lionel. A,kGns Ml,;t
the great wonder being that his life had been
preserved so long.
Colonel Aiken was buried at Green wood.
Rev. J. Lowrie Wilson conducted the funeral
services. The following persons acted as pail
bearers, and In that capacity laid one of ABB
bevilc's most honored sons In his grave
prouder sprst. brayeT @ man, or or more patri, r.
hard to find. The pall.bearers were: j. w.
Perrin, w. H. Parker, A. Is. Wardlaw, Able
Vile w. K. Blake, r. c. Gillian, Greenwood;
John C. Cary, Seneca City James n. Lips
G. NJ. Hodges. G. l.. Smith, of Hodges.
In place of writing anything now Of his
life and public services, we reproduce an ar
ticle which appeared in these columns year
ago: go
Colonel Aiken served his constituency with
earnestness, zeal, and fidelity, and made
record as Congressman of which any man
NJ ight we'll feel proud. He was ever, patriotic
In the defence of his country, nnd was al.
ways attentive and watchfnl to the personal
interests Of those who may have had claims
upon his attention or services. He answered
the smallest demands upon his attention
with q promptness and cheerfullness that
made him popular with all classes and con-
ditions of men, and rendered him SD popular
that he safely held his place against oil COM
petitors.
In one sense of the word he was no
respecter Of persons. If the humblest man In
the most remote corner OF his district sent
him postal card, that citizen was sure to
receive an answer by return mail, and his
demands upon Col. Aiken were as sure OF his
earnest attention as II he had been the great
est Of his constituents.
Colonel Aiken was always honest aud out.
spoken and this honesty and candor won to
him friends who would stick TO him under all
circumstances, while IT. was equally certain
that his frankneSs sometimes excited that op-
opportunity to manifest their love and conf
dence In him.
Colonel Aiken was born at Winnsboro, in
Fairfield, S. c. March II, 1928, and was there,
at the South Carolina College with the class
of 1919, and after teaching school for two years
he married Miss Virginia Smith, sister OF
Mr. w. Joel Smith Of Abbeville, and settled
on the Stony Point farm In 1852. He was q
successful farmer. the best evidence of which
Is furnished in the fact that he supported
comfortably and highly EDUCATED large fam
lly OF children from the profits in agriculture;
During the time that he was farmer he edited
either the Rural Cuolinan, or the Agricul-
tural Department OF the Ne,Us and Courier.
Soon after the war he bought dwelling In
Cokesbury where nc died; IN is6l l, ne yoI,
South Carolina Regiment, but was appointed
Adjutant of the command. At the reorganl-
zation of the Regiment In the spring OF 1852,
Mr. Aiken was elected to Its command, sue
ceeding ColCnel Bacon In September, 1862,
while gallant'y commanding his Regiment
at Harper's Ferry, In the battle of Antietam,
where the Confederate forces won a most sig:
nal victory, Colonel Aiken received a wound
through the body, which was deemed mortal.
Being unable for duty, with no prospect of
ever recovering, he was discharged rom the
service, when he returned TO his family, to
receive their care and attention. After O
long painful Illness, he regained somewhat
his former strength, and the people, appre-
ciating his galantry in the army, and need,
ing his services in the Legislature, elected
him TO REPRESENT them in that body In 1864.
He was again elected to the same trust In 1885,
and in 1867 distinguished himself by his able
and vigorous opposition to a tax measure
became O law, levying back tax of ten per
cent on the gross sales that may have been
made by whiskey dealers during the previous
year. as we'll as taxing the gross incomes OF
hotel keepers and other business occupations
i'm like manner. The act was retroactive
and threatened TO ruin people in all parts Of
the State. Owing to the anomalous condlti-
ton Of affairs, when the courts were paral-
wed, citizens had no other help than In an
appeal for relief to General Candy. which he
granted, through the strong arm Of the mill
tary that suspended the collection Of q tax
that would have ruined oil classes OF citizens
upon whom this heavy levy fell.
Colonel Aiken was Master Of the State
Grange for two years and was President Of
the Agricultural Society of several years, and
under his management we had some Of the
most excellent exhibitions that were ever
seen in any county. He has always been dis
tlnguished for his pronounced Democratic
principles and was delegate to the National
mated Tilden and Hendricks for President
and Vice-President. Owing to his energy and
courage TO do the right under any and all
circumstances he was chosen as the Demo.
cratic Congressional standard bearer In the
historic campaign of 1876, and no man con-
tributed more to the glorious Victory OF that
|Sear than did D. Wyatt Aiken. In those days
kOf darkness and gloom, 1t was difficult to get
suitable candidates for the different offices
Tho Democratic Club at Abbeville on the mo-
ton of Hon. a. Burt, than whom none were
more wise or sagacious, gave Colone! Aiken
unanimous call to the position OF Congress
sional leader Of the forlorn hope. The nomi-
nation was surprise to Colonel Aiken. He
had not expected 1t, but he readily accepted
the position, and went to work with more en-.
ergy and boldness than any man In our Dis
trict, carrying discontinue, discouragement
and final defeat to Chamberlain and his crew
He was appointed to reply to Governor Cham
berlain al u mass meeting OF citizens on Sc
cession Hill at Abbeville on Big Tuesday
Chamberlain and his associates aban doned
the canvass after that day and returned to
Columbia by the next train, and never again
In 1873, he was reelected over Srobrand,
the Repnblican candidate by a majority OF
nearly twenty thousand votes at the general
L hat